Injector for intraocular lens system

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an injector which comprises an injector housing having a longitudinal axis and an injection probe disposed along the longitudinal axis. The injector further comprises an intraocular lens disposed in the housing. The intraocular lens comprises first and second interconnected viewing elements, and the optical axes of the first and second viewing elements are substantially aligned. The optical axes are substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the housing. The injector further comprises a lens carrier which engages one of the viewing elements. The viewing elements are moveable in response to longitudinal movement of the lens carrier relative to the injector housing. The longitudinal movement causes both (i) the optical axes to be displaced relative to each other and (ii) the viewing elements to be disposed substantially on the longitudinal axis of the injector housing.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 60/541,429, filed Feb. 2, 2004,titled INJECTOR FOR INTRAOCULAR LENS SYSTEM. The entire contents of theabove-mentioned provisional application are hereby incorporated byreference herein and made a part of this specification.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

Various embodiments disclosed herein pertain to insertion of intraocularlenses into the eye of a patient, as well as methods and devices forpreparing an intraocular lens for insertion, and for achieving theinsertion itself.

2. Description of the Related Art

Artificial intraocular lenses are often implanted to replace orsupplement the natural crystalline lens. Such a lens may be implantedwhere the natural lens has developed cataracts or has lost elasticity tocreate a condition of presbyopia. Implantation devices have beendeveloped to roll or fold an intraocular lens, and/or assist inimplanting a rolled or folded lens through a small incision in thepatient's eye. However, these known implantation devices suffer fromvarious drawbacks, many of which are addressed by certain embodimentsdisclosed herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the invention is an injector which comprises an injectorhousing having a longitudinal axis and an injection probe disposed alongthe longitudinal axis. The injector further comprises an intraocularlens disposed in the housing. The intraocular lens comprises first andsecond interconnected viewing elements, and the optical axes of thefirst and second viewing elements are substantially aligned. The opticalaxes are substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of thehousing. The injector further comprises a lens carrier which engages oneof the viewing elements. The viewing elements are moveable in responseto longitudinal movement of the lens carrier relative to the injectorhousing. The longitudinal movement causes both (i) the optical axes tobe displaced relative to each other and (ii) the viewing elements to bedisposed substantially on the longitudinal axis of the injector housing.

Another aspect of the invention is an injector which comprises aninjector housing and an intraocular lens disposed within the housing.The intraocular lens has first and second interconnected viewingelements. The injector further comprises a lens carrier. The lenscarrier is moveable relative to the injector housing along acontinuously longitudinal path from a first position in which (a) thelens carrier engages the intraocular lens and (b) optical axes of theviewing elements are substantially aligned, to a second position inwhich (a) one of the viewing elements is forward of the other and (b)the viewing elements are at least partially compacted.

Another aspect of the invention is an injector which comprises aninjector housing and an intraocular lens disposed within the housing.The intraocular lens has first and second interconnected viewingelements. The injector further comprises a lens carrier which isoperable to move the intraocular lens from a home position of theintraocular lens along a continuously longitudinal path. Thecontinuously longitudinal path extends distally from the home position,past a single-element engagement surface located distal of the homeposition, and between opposed lens-compacting surfaces located distal ofthe single-element engagement surface.

Another aspect of the invention is a method of preparing forimplantation an intraocular lens having first and second interconnectedviewing elements. The method comprises advancing the intraocular lensalong a continuously longitudinal path such that one of the viewingelements is situated forward of the other and both of the viewingelements are compacted.

Another aspect of the invention is a method of preparing forimplantation an intraocular lens having first and second interconnectedviewing elements. The method comprises advancing the intraocular lensalong a continuously longitudinal path, and causing, via the advancing,both: (a) one of the viewing elements to be situated forward of theother; and (b) both of the viewing elements to be compacted.

Another aspect of the invention is a method of preparing forimplantation an intraocular lens having first and second interconnectedviewing elements. The method comprises advancing the intraocular lensalong a continuously longitudinal path. The method further comprises:while the intraocular lens is being advanced along the continuouslylongitudinal path, changing the intraocular lens from a first state inwhich optical axes of the viewing elements are substantially aligned, toa second state in which the optical axes are not substantially aligned.The method further comprises: while the intraocular lens is beingadvanced along the continuously longitudinal path, compacting theintraocular lens.

Certain objects and advantages of the invention are described herein. Ofcourse, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such objects oradvantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodimentof the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art willrecognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a mannerthat achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages astaught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantagesas may be taught or suggested herein.

All of the embodiments summarized above are intended to be within thescope of the invention herein disclosed. However, despite the foregoingdiscussion of certain embodiments, only the appended claims (and not thepresent summary) are intended to define the invention. The summarizedembodiments, and other embodiments of the present invention, will becomereadily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments having reference to theattached figures, the invention not being limited to any particularembodiment(s) disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an injector for anintraocular lens system.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the injector of FIG. 1, with the lenssystem in a displaced condition.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the injector of FIG. 1, with the lenssystem in a displaced and folded/crushed/compacted condition.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the injector of FIG. 1, with the lenssystem in the displaced and folded/crushed/compacted condition and anactuator thereof removed.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the injector of FIG. 1, with the lenssystem in the displaced and folded/crushed/compacted condition and aplunger thereof advanced forward.

FIG. 6 is a partial side sectional view of a housing of the injector ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a detail perspective view of the actuator and lens system.

FIG. 8 is a detail perspective view of compacting members of theinjector of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the housing.

FIG. 10 is a side sectional view of the operation of the actuator.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the injector.

FIG. 12 is a rear detail view of one of the compacting members.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the injector.

FIG. 14 is a side sectional view of the injector of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is another side sectional view of the injector of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a partial side sectional view of another embodiment of theinjector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1-12 depict one embodiment of an injector 100 for injecting anintraocular lens 200 into the eye of a patient. In one embodiment, theintraocular lens 200 comprises an accommodating intraocular lens havingtwo or more interconnected viewing elements or two or moreinterconnected optics. One, both or all of the viewing elements of thelens 200 may comprise an optic or lens having refractive (ordiffractive) power. Alternatively, one, both or all of the viewingelements may comprise an optic with a surrounding or partiallysurrounding perimeter frame member or members, with some or all of theinterconnecting members attached to the frame member(s). As a furtheralternative, one of the viewing elements may comprise a perimeter framewith an open/empty central portion or void located on the optical axis,or a perimeter frame member or members with a zero-power lens ortransparent member therein. In still further variations, one of theviewing elements may comprise only a zero-power lens or transparentmember.

In another embodiment, the intraocular lens 200 may comprise any of thevarious embodiments of accommodating intraocular lenses described inU.S. patent application Publication No. 2003/0078656, published Apr. 23,2003, titled ACCOMMODATING INTRAOCULAR LENS SYSTEM WITH SEPARATIONMEMBER, or any of the various embodiments of accommodating intraocularlenses described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/958,871, filedOct. 5, 2004, titled INTRAOCULAR LENS. The entire disclosure of theabove-mentioned publication and the entire disclosure of theabove-mentioned patent application are hereby incorporated by referenceherein and made a part of this specification. In still otherembodiments, the intraocular lens 200 may comprise a single-opticsystem, of the accommodating or non-accommodating type.

In one embodiment, where the lens 200 comprises a dual-optic system (or,more generally, a dual-viewing-element system), the injector 100manipulates the lens 200 in two stages while moving the lens 200 along asingle axis, specifically a longitudinal axis A-A of the injector 100.(The longitudinal axis A-A is also referred to herein as an “injectionaxis” of the injector.) In a first stage of manipulation, the injector100 displaces first and second optics 202, 204 of the lens 200 into anon-coaxial relation (see FIGS. 2, 6), in which the optical axes B-B,C-C of the first and second optics 202, 204 are displaced relative toeach other. Displacing the optics 202, 204 and their respective opticalaxes in this manner reduces the overall thickness of the lens 200. In asecond stage of manipulation, the injector 100 compacts, folds orcrushes the (thus-displaced) lens 200 into an injection channel 135 (seeFIGS. 3, 4, 8) oriented along the injection axis A-A of the injector100.

In one embodiment, the first optic 202 comprises an anterior optic andthe second optic 204 comprises a posterior optic. The terms “anterior”and “posterior” are derived from the positions preferably assumed by theoptics 202, 204 upon implantation of the lens 200 in an eye.

The injector 100 generally comprises a housing 102 and an actuator/lenscarrier or “sled” 104 slidably mounted on the housing 100. The lens 200is (initially) stored in the housing 102 in a home position, in asubstantially unstressed storage condition (see FIG. 1; also known as a“neutral” or “packaged” condition). In the storage condition the optics202, 204 are arranged substantially coaxially, with their respectiveoptical axes B-B, C-C substantially aligned or collinear, and with theiroptical axes B-B, C-C oriented substantially orthogonal to thelongitudinal axis A-A of the injector 100/housing 102. As the useradvances the actuator 104 distally or forward along the housing,actuator pins 106, 108 formed on the actuator 104 (see FIG. 7)simultaneously advance forward in slots 110, 112 formed in the bottom ofthe housing 102. Because the pins 106, 108 protrude through the slots110, 112 and engage one of the viewing elements of the lens 200, theforward advance of the pins 106, 108 urges the lens 200 forward ordistally within the housing, generally along the slots 110, 112 andalong the longitudinal axis A-A.

As the lens 200 is advanced forward, the first optic 202 comes intocontact with an inclined portion or ramp portion 120 of the housing 102(see FIG. 6). The inclined portion 120 forces the first optic 202 tomove rearward and downward relative to the advancing second optic 204.Thus the first optic 204 falls behind the advancing second optic 204,urging the optics 202, 204 into a flatter, non-coaxial “displaced”condition as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. As seen in FIG. 2, the optics 202,204 preferably remain disposed substantially along the longitudinal axisA-A of the injector 100/housing 102 when the lens 200 is in thedisplaced condition shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. In one embodiment, theoptics 202, 204 of the lens 200 are relatively displaced into acondition in which the optics do not “overlap” at all, as viewed alongthe optical axis of either optic. In still another embodiment, theoptics 202, 204 are relatively displaced until the optics 202, 204 arein substantially planar, side-by-side alignment (either overlapping ornon-overlapping) such that the thickness of the lens 200 is minimized.

The inclined portion 120 may be considered one type of “single-elementengagement surface” as it is one of a variety of suitable structureswhich may be employed to engage one, but not the other, of the viewingelements of a two-viewing-element lens 200 as the lens 200 advancesdistally through the injector housing 102.

After the optics 202, 204 have been relatively displaced as shown inFIG. 6, the lens 200 and actuator 104 may be further advanced until thelens 200 is situated between a pair of compacting members or wedgeplates 130, 132 (see FIG. 2). Tabs 134, 136 formed on the actuator 104(and extending through slots 138, 139 formed on the sides of the housing102, upon sufficient advancement of the actuator 104) engage thecompacting members 130, 132 and urge the members 130, 132 forward alongwith the lens 200 and actuator 104.

As the compacting members 130, 132 move forward, they converge on thelens 200, due to the tapered configuration of the members' outer edgesand the housing 102. Each of the compacting members 130, 132 forms acorresponding face 131, 133 in the form of a half-channel on its inneredge (see FIG. 8). Consequently, the converging faces 131, 133 compact,crush and/or fold the lens 200 (which is preferably urged into the“displaced” condition shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 before compacting) in theinjection channel 135, which is formed at the meeting of the two members130, 132 once the members have been driven all the way forward. Theinjection channel 135 thus formed is substantially aligned on theinjection axis A-A with an injection probe or nozzle 140 formed by thehousing 102, and a plunger 142. This injection channel 135, whichpreferably has a cross-section which substantially matches that of aninner lumen of the injector probe 140, holds the folded/crushed anddisplaced lens 200 ready for further distal longitudinal movement intothe injector probe 142.

When the compacting members 130, 132 have reached theforwardmost/distalmost position just described and shown in FIG. 3, themembers 130, 132 will have converged (and moved laterally) sufficientlyfor the tabs 134, 136 of the advancing lens carrier 104 to clear anddisengage from the rearward surfaces of the members 130, 132. The lenscarrier 104 may thus be further advanced distally, detached from thehousing 102 and discarded (see FIG. 4).

As seen in FIG. 9, the housing 102 preferably forms a disengagement ramp180 on its underside. The ramp 180 is positioned to force the pins 106,108 of the lens carrier 104 to move downward and disengage from the lens200 (and, if desired, disengage from the slots 110, 112) as the lens 200moves between the compacting members 130, 132. The lens carrierpreferably forms a flexible pin tab 182 (see FIGS. 4, 7) which isconfigured to contact the ramp 180 upon sufficiently distal movement ofthe lens carrier 104, and flex downward under the urging of the ramp180, thus disengaging the pins 106, 108 as discussed above.

Once the compacting members 130, 132 have folded or compacted the lens200, application of pressure to the plunger 142 drives the tip 143 ofthe plunger forward, into the injection channel 135 between the plates130, 132 and against the “crushed” or “folded” lens 200 disposedtherebetween (see FIG. 5). With continued application of pressure, theplunger 142 urges the lens 200 into the inner lumen of the probe 140.The end of the probe 140 may be inserted into the eye of a patient inthe typical manner, for delivery of the lens 200 from the tip of theprobe.

As seen in FIG. 12, each of the compacting members 130, 132 may includea lead-in 150 at the rearward or proximal end of the corresponding face131, 133 to ensure that the tip 143 of the plunger 142 is easilyinserted between the converged compacting members 130, 132.

FIGS. 13-15 depict another embodiment of the injector 100, which can besimilar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-12, except as further described anddepicted herein. In this embodiment, the actuator/lens carrier 104 maycomprise a thin elongate member or strip formed from a suitable polymerfilm (e.g., PET film). When the lens 200 is in the storage position (seeFIG. 14), the first optic 202 rests on the actuator 104, and the secondoptic 204 is in contact with the adjacent wall of the housing 102. Theactuator 104 is then drawn forward through the tip of the probe 140, andthe actuator in turn pulls the lens 200 forward, causing displacement ofthe optics into a non-coaxial condition as described above (see FIG.15). Once the lens 200 has been drawn between the compacting members130, 132, the members may be converged by applying pressure to handles160, 162 formed thereon. (Accordingly, the handles 160, 162 comprise analternative (or supplement) to the actuator tabs 134, 136 discussedabove.) With the lens 200 fully compacted, the plunger 142 may beemployed in the usual manner, to push the lens through the injectionchannel 135 and out the tip of the probe 140.

Accordingly, in the embodiments of FIGS. 1-12 and 13-15, both the lenscarrier 104 and the lens 200 are moved longitudinally, along acontinuously longitudinal path, from a first or home position (FIG. 1)in which the lens carrier 104 engages the lens 200 and the optical axesB-B, C-C of the viewing elements or optics 202, 204 are substantiallyaligned, to a second position (FIG. 3) in which one of the viewingelements/optics is forward of the other and the viewing elements/opticsare at least partially compacted. The continuously longitudinal path is,in these embodiments, generally coincident with the longitudinal axis orinjection axis A-A. The continuously longitudinal path extends distallyfrom the home position, past the single-element engagement surface 120located distal of the home position, and between the opposedlens-compacting surfaces of the compacting members 130, 132, which arelocated distal of the single-element engagement surface 120.

The lens carrier 104 and the lens 200 are moved further longitudinally,along the continuously longitudinal path, from the second position to athird position in which the (displaced and compacted) lens 200 issituated within the injector probe 142. From the third position, thelens 200 is urged longitudinally, along the continuously longitudinalpath, out the distal tip of the probe 142.

FIG. 16 depicts another embodiment of the injector 100, which can besimilar to the embodiments of FIGS. 1-12 or 13-15, except as furtherdescribed and depicted herein. In the injector 100 of FIG. 16, the lens200 is configured to move distally, along a continuously longitudinalpath in which only a distal portion 302 thereof is substantiallycoincident with the longitudinal axis/injection axis A-A. Operation ofthe lens carrier 104 moves the lens distally and along an upslope 304,whereupon the first optic 202 contacts the single-element engagementsurface 120. The surface 120 causes the first optic 202 to fall behindthe second optic 204, thus displacing the lens 200 as described anddepicted above. Once past the upslope 304, the displaced lens 200proceeds distally, substantially along the longitudinal axis A-A, untilthe lens 200 reaches the compacting members (not shown in FIG. 16). Thecompacting and injection process then continues in the manner describedand depicted above.

It is contemplated that the lens 200 may be positioned within (any ofthe embodiments of) the injector 100 (e.g., with the lens in the storagecondition) during manufacture/assembly of the injector. The injector100, with the lens 200 thus disposed inside, may then be sterilized as aunit, either at the point of manufacture or at some downstream location.Where appropriate, the sterilized injector-lens assembly may becontained in a sterile package, wrapper, bag, envelope, etc. in whichthe injector-lens assembly may remain until arrival at the point (ortime) of use. (The injector-lens assembly may be sterilized beforeand/or after placement in the package, etc.) This facilitates a simplepoint-of-use procedure for medical personnel involved in implanting thelens 200 contained in the injector 100: after opening (any) packaging,the physician, or other medical personnel, can compact and insert thelens 200 using the injector 100 as discussed above, without (any needfor) removing the lens 200 from the injector 100. Accordingly, there isno need to handle the lens 200 or manually load it into an insertiondevice at the point of use, both of which can be difficult and tedious,and can compromise the sterility of the lens.

Except as further described herein, any of the embodiments of theinjector shown in FIGS. 1-16 may be similar to any of the embodiments ofthe injector disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/637,376,filed Aug. 8, 2003, titled METHOD AND DEVICE FOR COMPACTING ANINTRAOCULAR LENS. The entire disclosure of the above-mentioned patentapplication is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a partof this specification.

Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certainpreferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond thespecifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodimentsand/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalentsthereof. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present inventionherein disclosed should not be limited by the particular embodimentsdescribed above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of theclaims that follow.

1. An injector comprising: an injector housing having a longitudinalaxis and an injection probe disposed along the longitudinal axis; anintraocular lens disposed in the housing, the intraocular lenscomprising first and second interconnected viewing elements, the opticalaxes of the first and second viewing elements being substantiallyaligned, the optical axes being substantially orthogonal to thelongitudinal axis of the housing; a lens carrier which engages one ofthe viewing elements, the viewing elements being moveable in response tolongitudinal movement of the lens carrier relative to the injectorhousing, said longitudinal movement causing both (i) the optical axes tobe displaced relative to each other and (ii) the viewing elements to bedisposed substantially on the longitudinal axis of the injector housing.2. The injector of claim 1, further comprising at least one compactingmember disposed in said housing, said compacting member configured tocompact said intraocular lens while said optical axes are relativelydisplaced, in response to the longitudinal movement of said carrier. 3.The injector of claim 1, wherein said housing further comprises asingle-element engagement surface, said surface configured to engageone, but not the other, of said viewing elements as said intraocularlens is moved in response to said movement of said lens carrier.
 4. Theinjector of claim 1, wherein said lens carrier comprises first andsecond pins which engage said one of said viewing elements.
 5. Theinjector of claim 1, wherein said lens carrier comprises a thin elongatemember which extends through said injection probe.
 6. An injectorcomprising: an injector housing; an intraocular lens disposed withinsaid housing, said intraocular lens having first and secondinterconnected viewing elements; a lens carrier, said lens carrier beingmoveable relative to said injector housing along a continuouslylongitudinal path from a first position in which (a) said lens carrierengages said intraocular lens and (b) optical axes of said viewingelements are substantially aligned, to a second position in which (a)one of said viewing elements is forward of the other and (b) saidviewing elements are at least partially compacted.
 7. The injector ofclaim 6, wherein said continuously longitudinal path comprises the soleaxis of movement of the intraocular lens through said housing.
 8. Theinjector of claim 6, wherein: said injector housing forms an injectornozzle extending along an injection axis; and said intraocular lens issituated on said injection axis throughout the entire range of motion ofsaid intraocular lens from said first position and through saidinjector.
 9. An injector comprising: an injector housing; an intraocularlens disposed within said housing, said intraocular lens having firstand second interconnected viewing elements; a lens carrier, said lenscarrier being operable to move said intraocular lens from a homeposition of said intraocular lens along a continuously longitudinalpath, said continuously longitudinal path extending distally from saidhome position, past a single-element engagement surface located distalof said home position, and between opposed lens-compacting surfaceslocated distal of said single-element engagement surface.
 10. Theinjector of claim 9, further comprising an injector probe located alongsaid continuously longitudinal path distal of said lens-compactingsurfaces.
 11. A method of preparing for implantation an intraocular lenshaving first and second interconnected viewing elements, said methodcomprising: advancing said intraocular lens along a continuouslylongitudinal path such that one of said viewing elements is situatedforward of the other and both of said viewing elements are compacted.12. The method of claim 11, further comprising advancing the intraocularlens to an injector nozzle while said intraocular lens is in a compactedstate.
 13. A method of preparing for implantation an intraocular lenshaving first and second interconnected viewing elements, said methodcomprising: advancing said intraocular lens along a continuouslylongitudinal path; and causing, via said advancing, both: (a) one ofsaid viewing elements to be situated forward of the other; and (b) bothof said viewing elements to be compacted.
 14. A method of preparing forimplantation an intraocular lens having first and second interconnectedviewing elements, said method comprising: advancing said intraocularlens along a continuously longitudinal path; while said intraocular lensis being advanced along said continuously longitudinal path, changingsaid intraocular lens from a first state in which optical axes of saidviewing elements are substantially aligned, to a second state in whichsaid optical axes are not substantially aligned; and while saidintraocular lens is being advanced along said continuously longitudinalpath, compacting said intraocular lens.